Over Christmas, the Severn Valley Railway is hosting two events beginning on the 29th of November.

This includes the Elf Express, which leaves from Bridgnorth, and will see cheeky elves entertain passengers and bring the magic alive.

The second event is Santa’s Steam Special, which leaves from Kidderminster, with some services prioritising comfort and inclusivity through a ‘relaxed’ service.

This special will see a unique show, taking passengers away to Arley for the Great Christmas Train Rescue.

Polly the polar bear will appear alongside Santa and Victor Von Sneeze, featuring puppetry from Matthew Forbes.

The railway ran relaxed services last year, which proved to be a success, so they have decided to expand the offer, with relaxed services running on the 7th, 14th and 21st of December.

Both events will take place on weekends from the 29th of November until Christmas Eve.

Further information on both events can be found over on the SVR website here.

“Sometimes, crowded spaces, loud noises or unpredictable elements can prove overwhelming, meaning that some parents might be reluctant to bring their children to an unfamiliar environment such as a railway or theatrical performance.

“We’ve worked to dial things down for the SVR’s relaxed Santa Special services, to ensure the whole experience of a train ride and a pantomime are welcoming and stress-free but still have all the festive joy and magic.”

Dawn Spencer, Accessibility Working Group chair